Mancora

The more movies I see coming out of South America and Israel the more impressed I get. Not that there aren't great movies coming out of the states, trust me there are, but there is a certain freshness in watching a movie from South America.

In Lima, Santiago is to busy having sex with his girl friend at a concert to answer his phone when his dad is calling. If he had he would have spoken to his father and heard him in person say "I Love you" before he kills himself. Santiago is not doing well, he's not leaving his house, he's just moping around. He keeps getting calls from his step sister Ximena who lives in New York, she wants to come and see him, and in tow she brings her new husband (Inigo).

Shortly after they get there Santiago admits that he's leaving Lima for some time and going to a childhood escape spot called Mancora, he and Ximena went there when they were children. When he goes to leave the next morning Ximena and Inigo are there to go with him. So they start on their journey to the Ocean. They meet a man named Batu along the way who joins them. As sexual tensions rise fights break out and Santiago starts searching for what he thinks is missing and wrong with his life.

The story isn't anything new, or even that originally done. Ive seen a dozen movies that have this or close to this storyline. A one that comes to mine and has plenty of comparisons would be "Y Tu Mama Tambien" There is a certain sexual freedom that exists in both of the films, and a lot of them that Ive seen coming from the Southern Hemisphere of America.

The characters are strong, not according to some of the reviews I read, but their complaints seemed more about the actors looks and the fact that the characters seem to be pretty well off. Personally I don't really care about that, am I surprised the actors are good looking? No. Is it easier to make the characters rich so you don't have to waste story with explaining how they can just leave work and dealing with their work situation in general? Yes. Its better for this story to stick to what its about and not try and make it all that grounded in the middle classes socio-economic situations.

That was the reasons I read for why one reviewer didn't like it, weak sauce to say the least. And if they hate that about this movie then they must hate most movies, because these plot points that they gloss over are the norm.

The colors of this movie are so rich and vibrant. The golds and oranges make me feel the warmth of the place, the blues of the ocean make me feel the cool splash on my face and skin. The cinematography certainly made the film that much better. Like I said the story wasn't all that original, the characters weren't either, but the fact that it was strong in so many other ways it made that other stuff inconsequential.

What Santiago learns on the trip will change him, the problems he has with the world he finds the reasons, or at least finds out how to fix it, within himself. On a side note, the girls in this, all of them are beautiful (The guys too) but I don't really care for the guys. Really gorgeous and nice to watch.

Here is another great contribution to the cinematic community coming from the South and I'm sure it wont be the last, I look forward to the next. Keep them coming. 8/10 stars.

Director: Ricardo de Montreuil

Starring: Jason Day, Elsa Pataky, Enrique Murciano, Phellipe Haagensen